Odisha govt extends Justice RK Patra panel’s term by six months

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Nov 22:

The Odisha government has extended the tenure of Justice RK Patra Commission of Inquiry, probing the chit fund activities in the state, by six months.

The Commission has so far scrutinised 5,31,000 affidavits. Tenders have been invited for the data entry work, Justice Patra said. Infrastructure and recruitment of staff to expedite the functioning of the Commission is awaited, he said.

While the state government has set up a corpus fund of Rs 300 crore in the present budget for benefit of the chit fund investors, the Commission is yet to find a way to identify the genuine depositor.

“The Commission will take a decision in this regard after discussions with the state government and all the parties,” Justice Patra said.

He said the process of identification of genuine depositors would begin after the government finalises the bidder to take up data entry work.